US20140321249A1 - Timepiece - Google Patents
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- US20140321249A1 US20140321249A1 US14/259,418 US201414259418A US2014321249A1 US 20140321249 A1 US20140321249 A1 US 20140321249A1 US 201414259418 A US201414259418 A US 201414259418A US 2014321249 A1 US2014321249 A1 US 2014321249A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- display
- timepiece
- display members
- movement
- members
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- G—PHYSICS
- G04—HOROLOGY
- G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
- G04B19/00—Indicating the time by visual means
- G04B19/04—Hands; Discs with a single mark or the like
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G04—HOROLOGY
- G04B—MECHANICALLY-DRIVEN CLOCKS OR WATCHES; MECHANICAL PARTS OF CLOCKS OR WATCHES IN GENERAL; TIME PIECES USING THE POSITION OF THE SUN, MOON OR STARS
- G04B19/00—Indicating the time by visual means
- G04B19/20—Indicating by numbered bands, drums, discs, or sheets
- G04B19/21—Drums
Definitions
- the present invention relates to the field of horology, and more specifically concerns a time display device for a mechanical or electromechanical timepiece, and a mechanism for making this device.
- the time is generally indicated by means of hour and minute hands which move opposite a graduation.
- WO Patent No 20080144948 proposes an embodiment simulating the movement of a display hand.
- studs are arranged in the normal manner of timepiece display indicators.
- the stud corresponding to a piece of information to be displayed has a specific surface, whereas the other studs have a uniform surface.
- the stud signifying the information has a face of a particular colour, whereas the other studs have a different colour.
- the specific stud active during the preceding hour is actuated to exhibit the same colour as the other studs.
- the stud active in the new hour is also actuated to exhibit a specific colour.
- the studs are actuated at least twice per period, and the result obtained is identical to that of the motion of a hand.
- the invention therefore concerns a timepiece including a timepiece movement provided with an information display mechanism driven from a power take-off, said display mechanism including N display members for said information regularly distributed over a perimeter of the movement, characterized in that the N display members are each pivoted on a drive arbour perpendicularly and can take different first and second radial positions in relation to the centre of the movement, the display members being driven in succession over time by common first annular jumping drive means so that each display member changes in succession from the first position to the second position and is held in said second position until the end of a cycle in which all of the display members are in their second position and in that second annular drive means are arranged to reposition all of the display members in their first position at the start of the following cycle.
- the indicator member takes the form of a hand, the two radial positions of the display members being separated from each other by an angle of 40° in relation to the drive axis, and the successive driving of the display members is accomplished by means of a pin secured to the first annular drive means, the pin being arranged to push a cam integral with the display member, said cam being associated with a jumper spring to define the first and second positions in a stable manner.
- the display member displays time information and the timepiece includes 59 display members each defining a different minute.
- FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a timepiece according to the invention.
- FIG. 2 shows a front view of a timepiece according to the invention.
- FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a detail of the barrel winding mechanism of the timepiece movement according to the invention.
- FIG. 4A is a partial illustration, from the back cover side, of the device for driving the minute display member of the timepiece according to the invention.
- FIGS. 4B and 4C illustrate details, viewed from the dial side, of the drive device for the minute display members of the timepiece according to the invention.
- FIG. 5 is a perspective cross-section, on the back cover side, of the timepiece movement according to the invention.
- FIGS. 6 and 6A respectively show perspective views of the drive mechanism for the minute display members and a detail thereof viewed from the back cover side of the timepiece of the invention.
- FIGS. 7A and 7B show perspective views of the mechanism for repositioning the minute display members viewed from the back cover side of the timepiece of the invention.
- FIGS. 8 and 8A respectively show perspective views of the drive mechanism for the hour display members and a detail thereof, viewed from the back cover side of the timepiece of the invention.
- FIG. 8B shows a perspective view of the drive mechanism for the hour display members, seen from the dial side of the timepiece of the invention.
- FIG. 9 shows a perspective cross-section of the display mechanism for the 12th hour, viewed from the dial side of the timepiece of the invention.
- FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of the mechanism for correcting the hour display members, viewed from the dial side of the timepiece of the invention.
- FIG. 10A shows a perspective view of a detail of the mechanism for correcting the hour display members, viewed from the back cover side of the timepiece of the invention.
- FIG. 10B shows a perspective view of the mechanism for correcting the minute display members, seen from the back cover side of the timepiece of the invention.
- FIG. 11 shows an exploded perspective view of the main plate and the various bars viewed from the back cover side of the timepiece movement of the timepiece of the invention.
- FIGS. 12 and 13 respectively show front views of the timepiece movement of the timepiece of the invention, from the dial side (dial omitted) and from the back cover side.
- FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown a wristwatch 1 provided with an hour-circle formed of a case 2 , formed in a conventional manner, of a middle part and a back cover, containing a dial 3 , a time display device 4 according to the invention, a movement MVT, a crystal 5 and a crown 7 .
- Time display device 4 includes eleven hour hands 8 rotating on themselves through 180° opposite an hour-circle, with the exception of the 12 o'clock hand.
- the eleven hour hands are triangular and extend in the plane of the dial. They are pivoted on drive arbours extending perpendicularly to dial 3 . The time is indicated by the orientation of the apex of the triangle in an external radial direction. Only one hand 8 of the eleven hands can occupy this position at a given moment.
- the arbour of the 12 o'clock hand carries a disc on which there is hinged a connecting rod whose other end is connected to a hatch sliding in translation in a fixed guide structure.
- the hatch has a circular aperture.
- the disc like the hands, can occupy two fixed positions determined by the hand drive system.
- the hatch device is actuated at midday and at midnight for a period of one hour and reveals an indication, for example a logo, in the hatch aperture.
- the minute display is achieved by means of fifty-nine hands 10 which are mounted on arbours perpendicular to dial 3 . These hands 10 rotate over an angle of 40°. The two end positions of these hands 10 correspond to a display position visible to the user of the watch and to a retracted position in which hands 10 are concealed by dial 3 . The last minute is indicated by simultaneously resetting the fifty-nine hands 10 . The minute reading corresponds to the number of minute hands 10 oriented in a determined radial position.
- the hour and minute display are driven by means of two jumping devices, and the minute display is provided with a retrograde drive system.
- Dial 3 is partially transparent and includes a peripheral annular area 3 A and a central area 3 B which are opaque and delimit between them a transparent annular area 3 C.
- the opaque central area 3 B is in relief in the illustrated example and takes the form of a faceted crown.
- Dial 3 has a central aperture 3 D where a transparent portion cooperates with the hatch and reveals the top of the movement. At midday and at midnight the hatch aperture is superposed on the dial aperture to reveal the logo.
- the dial is treated with an anti-reflective coating. In the visible display position, minute hands 10 appear in the transparent annular area 3 C of dial 3 .
- FIG. 3 shows that the movement includes two barrels 100 , 101 mounted between plate P and a barrel bar 207 ( FIG. 11 ).
- a first barrel 100 is dedicated in a conventional manner to driving the gear train and the regulating member (sprung balance) mounted in a conventional manner between plate P and a balance cock 208 ( FIG. 11 ).
- the second barrel 101 is used for driving the display devices.
- the two barrels 100 , 101 are independently wound by winding stem 102 in its neutral wearing position.
- the second barrel 101 is wound in the clockwise winding direction, and the first barrel 100 is wound counterclockwise.
- winding stem 102 is associated with a sliding intermediate wheel 103 including a pinion 104 which meshes with one or other of ratchet wheels 100 A, 101 A of barrels 100 , 101 in the direction of rotation of stem 102 .
- the winding of first barrel 100 is achieved via a direction reversing pinion 105 .
- FIG. 4A shows second barrel 101 which, via a train including two wheel sets 106 , 107 and a pinion 108 , drives the minute control ring 109 in the direction of arrow F 1 at the rate of one revolution per hour via inner toothing 109 A.
- Control ring 109 includes a radially extending drive finger 110 at its external periphery. Control ring 109 is guided in rotation between a minute bar 111 and the main plate via intermediate bars (one 202 of which is shown in FIG. 5 ) by means of preferably ruby guide rollers 112 . This control ring 109 is held up by a bar of minute ring 204 ( FIG. 11 ).
- Drive finger 110 includes a contact pin 110 A intended to come into contact with a cam 113 connected to arbours 114 carrying the minute indicators to drive them successively in rotation through a 40° angle.
- arbours 114 which traverse plate P, are pivoted in pairs of ruby bearings respectively driven into orifices 200 , 201 of a minute bar 111 and of a display bar 203 arranged on either side of plate P.
- cam 113 has the general shape of a bicorn including two beaks 113 A and 113 B connected by two shaped surfaces 113 C and 113 D.
- Contact pin 110 A enters into contact with beak 113 A during its rotation to rotate arbours 114 through a 40° angle.
- the amplitude of rotation is set by beak 113 B which abuts against a flank 115 A of an abutment ring 115 including a plurality of stop members defined by the radial flanks of an external slotted toothing having 59 teeth ( FIGS. 4B , 4 C), one of teeth 115 B extending over an angular sector corresponding to two successive teeth.
- This abutment ring 115 is arranged concentrically to and in a lower plane than control ring 109 .
- This abutment ring 115 has an additional function to the locking function which will be described below.
- Cam 113 is held in position in the various positions corresponding to those of the minute hands (visible or concealed) by a plurality of springs 116 A carried by a jumper spring 116 , springs 116 A extending from the inner periphery of jumper spring 116 at an angle. There are 59 of these springs, each associated with an assembly comprising cam 113 and minute hand arbour 114 .
- Minute control ring 109 is rotated forward by means of a regulating device allowing the indexed forward motion of control ring 109 in 6° jumps which will be described with reference to FIG. 6 .
- the regulating device is driven by first barrel 100 , connected to the gear train and to the regulating member, whose drum 100 A is meshed via toothing 100 B with a pinion 117 integral with the cannon-pinion (not shown), which carries a sixty wheel 118 making one complete rotation in 60 minutes.
- Sixty wheel 118 meshes via an intermediate wheel 119 with a control assembly 120 for a lever assembly 121 for stopping/releasing the rotation of control ring 109 .
- Lever assembly 121 is formed of a lever body of generally longitudinal shape.
- Lever assembly 121 is pivoted between main plate P and a bar (not shown).
- the body of lever assembly 121 includes at each end thereof a lifting piece 121 B cooperating respectively with two superposed inner toothings 109 B and 109 C arranged above toothing 109 A.
- Lever assembly 121 further includes, in an end portion close to one of lifting pieces 121 B, an arbour 122 carrying an annular jewel 123 ( FIG. 6A ).
- Annular jewel 123 cooperates with a cam path 124 A of a wheel 124 driven by intermediate wheel 119 via a pinion 125 coaxial to wheel 124 .
- wheel 124 has a shaped annular hollow 126 defining cam path 124 A.
- cam path 124 A is configured to impart an oscillating motion to lever assembly 121 to alternately stop and release the rotating motion of control ring 109 , via the contact between lifting pieces 121 B and toothings 109 B and 109 C of control ring 109 .
- the movement of the invention has a mechanism 127 for repositioning minute hands 10 illustrated in FIGS. 7A , 7 B.
- This repositioning mechanism 127 acts simultaneously on all of cams 113 via abutment ring 115 .
- Repositioning mechanism 127 includes a control and return lever 128 pivoted at A between two bars (not shown).
- Lever 128 has, at a first end, two arms 128 A, 128 B in the manner of a fork, and at a second opposite end a return spring 128 C bent into a U-shape, this latter being in one piece with the body of lever 128 .
- the end of arm 128 A is engaged in a corresponding notch 115 C arranged at the inner periphery of abutment ring 115
- the end of arm 128 B extends between abutment ring 115 and drive ring 109 .
- the latter carries a pin 129 positioned to come into contact once per hour with the end of arm 128 B and thus to drive lever 128 in rotation in the direction of arrow F ( FIG.
- FIG. 7A repositioning mechanism 127 is shown after all of the hands have been returned to their concealed position.
- Pin 129 has just released arm 128 B and lever 128 has been returned to its rest position by means of spring 128 C.
- mechanism 127 is shown in a state 3 minutes after the hour. Pin 110 A has tipped the first three cams 113 1 , 113 2 , 113 3 to bring the corresponding hands into their display position.
- a barrel 101 drives a pinion 130 on the arbour of which there is mounted a snail-shaped cam 131 , on which the beak of a first arm 132 A of a drive lever 132 pivoting at B slides.
- This drive lever 132 pivots in a pair of ruby bearings respectively driven into a lever bar 205 and a display bar 206 ( FIG. 11 ).
- Drive lever 132 includes a second arm 132 B forming an angle (of around 90° in the illustrated example) with first arm 132 A.
- This second arm 132 B is extended by a toothed circular sector 132 C centred on pivot pin B.
- second arm 132 B carries a stop member 133 provided with a jewel 133 A cooperating with a spring 134 returning drive lever 132 in the direction of arrow C ( FIG. 8 ) to maintain a permanent contact between the beak of arm 132 A and cam 131 .
- Spring 134 is secured via one end to a bar of the movement.
- Drive lever 132 also includes a stop member 132 D which extends substantially in the radial extension of second arm 132 B. Toothed sector 132 C meshes with a pinion 135 secured to an arbour 136 mounted to rotate freely in an assembly comprising, secured to each other, a roller 137 , a cam 138 and a second drive pinion 139 for the hour control ring 140 .
- Roller 137 also carries a pivotally mounted beak 141 held in contact with cam 138 by a spring 142 .
- This control device allows hour control ring 140 to move forward in jumps, from the continuous rotation of cam 131 .
- Hour control ring 140 includes on the external periphery thereof two toothed sectors 140 A, 140 B angularly spaced by 30° and each including two teeth in the illustrated example. The toothed sectors mesh in turn with two star wheels 143 having 6 teeth regularly distributed at the periphery of hour control ring 140 .
- Each star wheel 143 is secured to an arbour 143 A carrying hour hands 8 , with the exception of arbour 143 B, which is shorter than arbours 143 A and arranged at 12 o'clock and whose display function will be described below.
- Arbours 143 A and arbour 143 B are pivoted between pairs of ruby bearings driven respectively into plate P and an hour ring bar 210 .
- FIG. 8B also shows that drive ring 140 is secured on one face thereof to a non-return ring 144 which is concentric thereto and whose function, via a locking jumper spring 145 secured to plate P, is to lock in rotation drive ring 140 in the direction of arrow S 4 after each of the forward jumps of drive ring 140 .
- Jumper spring 145 includes a first locking arm 145 A cooperating with non-return ring 144 and a second arm 145 B whose function will be explained below with reference to FIG. 10 .
- Non-return 144 includes at the inner periphery thereof twelve toothed sectors 144 A wherein each tooth has the shape of a wolf-tooth and a flank 144 B which cooperates in abutment with the beak of jumper spring 145 .
- each toothed sector 140 A, 140 B may be different from two and that star wheels 143 may include a number of teeth different from six depending on the desired angle of rotation of the indicators secured to star wheels 143 .
- Arbour 143 B of the 12th hour carries a disc 146 on which there is hinged a connecting rod 147 , the other end of which is connected to a hatch 148 sliding in translation in a fixed guide structure 149 , preferably provided with a linear ball bearing.
- Guide structure 149 is mounted on a top hour bar 209 which is fixed to the hour ring bar 210 ( FIG. 11 ).
- Hatch 148 has a circular aperture 148 A.
- Disc 146 and hands 8 can occupy two fixed positions determined by drive ring 140 . In a first position, the aperture of hatch 148 is juxtaposed with a corresponding aperture 3 D of dial 3 and reveals an indication M carried by the movement.
- hatch 147 closes aperture 3 D.
- This hatch device 148 is actuated at midday and at midnight, for a period of one hour, and reveals an indication, for example a logo, through the aperture of hatch 148 , the aperture of hatch 148 showing the 12 o'clock indication.
- Hour and minute correction device 150 will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 , 10 A and 10 B.
- winding stem 102 can occupy a pulled-out position in which it allows correction of the hours and minutes.
- the hours are corrected by rotating winding stem 102 in the clockwise direction (arrow SH) in the pulled-out position of the stem.
- winding stem 102 actuates lever 151 to position sliding pinion 152 in mesh with wheel set 153 including a wheel 153 A and a pinion 153 B.
- Pinion 153 B then rotates in the anti-clockwise direction viewed from the dial.
- Pinion 153 B meshes with a gear train including wheels 154 , 155 , 156 .
- This gear train is pivoted on pins arranged on plate P and is held up by an hour drive bar 211 ( FIG. 11 ).
- Wheel 156 carries on one face thereof a wheel 157 including three toothed sectors 157 A each including three teeth in this example.
- Wheel 157 is temporarily in mesh with a first toothed sector 158 including, in this example, three teeth of an annular wheel 159 pivoted on a circular wall 160 of plate P.
- Wheel 159 includes, at an angular distance from first toothed sector 158 , a second toothed sector 161 in permanent mesh with a toothed sector 162 integral with a return rack 163 pivoted between plate P and a corrector bar 212 ( FIG. 11 ).
- Return rack 163 includes a lug carrying a pin 164 extending perpendicularly to the plane of return rack 163 and cooperating with arm 145 B of return spring 145 .
- Annular wheel 159 further includes a lug 159 A extending radially from the periphery of wheel 159 .
- Toothed sectors 158 , 162 and lug 159 A are separated by an angle of substantially 120°.
- Lug 159 A ends in a beak 165 extending in a tangential direction to wheel 159 .
- An actuating finger 166 is pivotally mounted at C in the end portion of lug 159 A.
- This finger 166 includes an end portion 166 A held in contact with the inner periphery of ring 144 via a spring 167 in abutment against a bar of the plate (not shown).
- Finger 166 further includes an abutment pin 168 cooperating with beak 165 of lug 159 A to limit the angular travel of the finger in relation to lug 159 A with reference to FIG. 10A .
- wheel 159 When the stem rotates in the clockwise direction, wheel 159 is thus, in a first phase, temporarily driven in rotation over an angular distance in the anticlockwise direction (viewed from the dial) by gear train 153 , 154 , 155 , 156 , 157 .
- gear train 153 , 154 , 155 , 156 , 157 the end portion 166 A of finger 166 is placed in contact with the next plane 144 B in the anticlockwise direction.
- toothed sector 158 is unmeshed from the various toothed sectors 157 A.
- return rack 163 moved by the return force of spring 145 B, drives wheel 159 in rotation in the clockwise direction (viewed from the dial) and allows ring 144 to be driven in rotation in the clockwise direction via finger 166 which was brought into contact with flank 144 b in the first phase.
- the rotation of flank 144 causes the hour display to be driven in correction via toothed sectors 140 A, 140 B and star wheels 143 .
- the minutes are corrected by rotating stem 102 in the anticlockwise direction (arrow SAH) in the pulled-out position of the stem.
- Pinion 153 B then rotates in the clockwise direction viewed from the dial and drives wheel 170 integral with a pinion 171 in the anticlockwise direction (viewed from the dial).
- the assembly comprising wheel 170 and pinion 171 is carried by a sliding gear structure 172 , whose centre of rotation merges with the axis of pinion 153 B.
- sliding gear structure 172 is angularly moved to bring pinion 171 into mesh with a wheel 173 integral with sixty wheel 118 , which drives the minute display mechanism with reference to FIG. 10B .
- plate P and the various bars of the movement MVT acting as support for the mechanisms described above are shown in an exploded perspective view.
- FIGS. 12 and 13 respectively show a front view of the timepiece movement of the timepiece of the invention, from the dial side, with the dial omitted, and from the back cover side.
- the number of hands 10 may be different from 59 and gradually display any type of time or other information/animation, for example each hand could carry a letter or a portion of a message which appears over time or could display the time, the month, the day of the week and/or the date.
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Abstract
Description
- This application claims priority from European Patent application No. 13165393.3 filed Apr. 25, 2013, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference.
- The present invention relates to the field of horology, and more specifically concerns a time display device for a mechanical or electromechanical timepiece, and a mechanism for making this device.
- In mechanical horology, the time is generally indicated by means of hour and minute hands which move opposite a graduation.
- There are state of the art mechanical watches including display devices, particularly for the time, having original features distinguishing them from traditional analogue displays, which mostly include coaxial hour and minute hands at the centre of the movement.
- There are known, for example, mechanical timepieces which propose rotatably mounted studs offering different display faces. For example, WO Patent No 20080144948 proposes an embodiment simulating the movement of a display hand. To achieve this, studs are arranged in the normal manner of timepiece display indicators. The stud corresponding to a piece of information to be displayed has a specific surface, whereas the other studs have a uniform surface. For example, the stud signifying the information has a face of a particular colour, whereas the other studs have a different colour. At the next hour change, the specific stud active during the preceding hour is actuated to exhibit the same colour as the other studs. Simultaneously, the stud active in the new hour is also actuated to exhibit a specific colour. Thus, in this embodiment, the studs are actuated at least twice per period, and the result obtained is identical to that of the motion of a hand.
- It is an object of the present invention to propose another original display device for indicating, in particular, the hours and/or minutes.
- The invention therefore concerns a timepiece including a timepiece movement provided with an information display mechanism driven from a power take-off, said display mechanism including N display members for said information regularly distributed over a perimeter of the movement, characterized in that the N display members are each pivoted on a drive arbour perpendicularly and can take different first and second radial positions in relation to the centre of the movement, the display members being driven in succession over time by common first annular jumping drive means so that each display member changes in succession from the first position to the second position and is held in said second position until the end of a cycle in which all of the display members are in their second position and in that second annular drive means are arranged to reposition all of the display members in their first position at the start of the following cycle.
- According to an embodiment, the indicator member takes the form of a hand, the two radial positions of the display members being separated from each other by an angle of 40° in relation to the drive axis, and the successive driving of the display members is accomplished by means of a pin secured to the first annular drive means, the pin being arranged to push a cam integral with the display member, said cam being associated with a jumper spring to define the first and second positions in a stable manner. Preferably, the display member displays time information and the timepiece includes 59 display members each defining a different minute.
- The features of the invention will appear more clearly upon reading the description of a preferred embodiment, given solely by way of non-limiting example with reference to the annexed Figures, in which:
-
FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a timepiece according to the invention. -
FIG. 2 shows a front view of a timepiece according to the invention. -
FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a detail of the barrel winding mechanism of the timepiece movement according to the invention. -
FIG. 4A is a partial illustration, from the back cover side, of the device for driving the minute display member of the timepiece according to the invention. -
FIGS. 4B and 4C illustrate details, viewed from the dial side, of the drive device for the minute display members of the timepiece according to the invention. -
FIG. 5 is a perspective cross-section, on the back cover side, of the timepiece movement according to the invention. -
FIGS. 6 and 6A respectively show perspective views of the drive mechanism for the minute display members and a detail thereof viewed from the back cover side of the timepiece of the invention. -
FIGS. 7A and 7B show perspective views of the mechanism for repositioning the minute display members viewed from the back cover side of the timepiece of the invention. -
FIGS. 8 and 8A respectively show perspective views of the drive mechanism for the hour display members and a detail thereof, viewed from the back cover side of the timepiece of the invention. -
FIG. 8B shows a perspective view of the drive mechanism for the hour display members, seen from the dial side of the timepiece of the invention. -
FIG. 9 shows a perspective cross-section of the display mechanism for the 12th hour, viewed from the dial side of the timepiece of the invention. -
FIG. 10 shows a perspective view of the mechanism for correcting the hour display members, viewed from the dial side of the timepiece of the invention. -
FIG. 10A shows a perspective view of a detail of the mechanism for correcting the hour display members, viewed from the back cover side of the timepiece of the invention. -
FIG. 10B shows a perspective view of the mechanism for correcting the minute display members, seen from the back cover side of the timepiece of the invention. -
FIG. 11 shows an exploded perspective view of the main plate and the various bars viewed from the back cover side of the timepiece movement of the timepiece of the invention. -
FIGS. 12 and 13 respectively show front views of the timepiece movement of the timepiece of the invention, from the dial side (dial omitted) and from the back cover side. - Referring to
FIGS. 1 and 2 , there is shown awristwatch 1 provided with an hour-circle formed of acase 2, formed in a conventional manner, of a middle part and a back cover, containing adial 3, atime display device 4 according to the invention, a movement MVT, acrystal 5 and a crown 7. -
Time display device 4 includes elevenhour hands 8 rotating on themselves through 180° opposite an hour-circle, with the exception of the 12 o'clock hand. The eleven hour hands are triangular and extend in the plane of the dial. They are pivoted on drive arbours extending perpendicularly todial 3. The time is indicated by the orientation of the apex of the triangle in an external radial direction. Only onehand 8 of the eleven hands can occupy this position at a given moment. - The arbour of the 12 o'clock hand carries a disc on which there is hinged a connecting rod whose other end is connected to a hatch sliding in translation in a fixed guide structure. The hatch has a circular aperture. The disc, like the hands, can occupy two fixed positions determined by the hand drive system. The hatch device is actuated at midday and at midnight for a period of one hour and reveals an indication, for example a logo, in the hatch aperture.
- The minute display is achieved by means of fifty-nine
hands 10 which are mounted on arbours perpendicular todial 3. Thesehands 10 rotate over an angle of 40°. The two end positions of thesehands 10 correspond to a display position visible to the user of the watch and to a retracted position in whichhands 10 are concealed bydial 3. The last minute is indicated by simultaneously resetting the fifty-ninehands 10. The minute reading corresponds to the number ofminute hands 10 oriented in a determined radial position. - The hour and minute display are driven by means of two jumping devices, and the minute display is provided with a retrograde drive system.
-
Dial 3 is partially transparent and includes a peripheralannular area 3A and acentral area 3B which are opaque and delimit between them a transparentannular area 3C. The opaquecentral area 3B is in relief in the illustrated example and takes the form of a faceted crown.Dial 3 has acentral aperture 3D where a transparent portion cooperates with the hatch and reveals the top of the movement. At midday and at midnight the hatch aperture is superposed on the dial aperture to reveal the logo. Preferably, the dial is treated with an anti-reflective coating. In the visible display position,minute hands 10 appear in the transparentannular area 3C ofdial 3. - With reference to the Figures, the movement and drive mechanism of these various display devices carried by plate P of the movement will be described.
- In particular,
FIG. 3 shows that the movement includes twobarrels FIG. 11 ). Afirst barrel 100 is dedicated in a conventional manner to driving the gear train and the regulating member (sprung balance) mounted in a conventional manner between plate P and a balance cock 208 (FIG. 11 ). Thesecond barrel 101 is used for driving the display devices. The twobarrels stem 102 in its neutral wearing position. Thesecond barrel 101 is wound in the clockwise winding direction, and thefirst barrel 100 is wound counterclockwise. To achieve this, windingstem 102 is associated with a slidingintermediate wheel 103 including apinion 104 which meshes with one or other ofratchet wheels barrels stem 102. The winding offirst barrel 100 is achieved via adirection reversing pinion 105. -
FIG. 4A showssecond barrel 101 which, via a train including twowheel sets pinion 108, drives theminute control ring 109 in the direction of arrow F1 at the rate of one revolution per hour viainner toothing 109A.Control ring 109 includes a radially extendingdrive finger 110 at its external periphery.Control ring 109 is guided in rotation between aminute bar 111 and the main plate via intermediate bars (one 202 of which is shown inFIG. 5 ) by means of preferablyruby guide rollers 112. Thiscontrol ring 109 is held up by a bar of minute ring 204 (FIG. 11 ).Drive finger 110 includes acontact pin 110A intended to come into contact with acam 113 connected toarbours 114 carrying the minute indicators to drive them successively in rotation through a 40° angle. - These
arbours 114, which traverse plate P, are pivoted in pairs of ruby bearings respectively driven intoorifices minute bar 111 and of adisplay bar 203 arranged on either side of plate P. - Viewed from above,
cam 113 has the general shape of a bicorn including twobeaks surfaces Contact pin 110A enters into contact withbeak 113A during its rotation to rotatearbours 114 through a 40° angle. The amplitude of rotation is set bybeak 113B which abuts against aflank 115A of anabutment ring 115 including a plurality of stop members defined by the radial flanks of an external slotted toothing having 59 teeth (FIGS. 4B , 4C), one ofteeth 115B extending over an angular sector corresponding to two successive teeth. Thisabutment ring 115 is arranged concentrically to and in a lower plane thancontrol ring 109. Thisabutment ring 115 has an additional function to the locking function which will be described below.Cam 113 is held in position in the various positions corresponding to those of the minute hands (visible or concealed) by a plurality ofsprings 116A carried by ajumper spring 116, springs 116A extending from the inner periphery ofjumper spring 116 at an angle. There are 59 of these springs, each associated with anassembly comprising cam 113 andminute hand arbour 114. -
Minute control ring 109 is rotated forward by means of a regulating device allowing the indexed forward motion ofcontrol ring 109 in 6° jumps which will be described with reference toFIG. 6 . The regulating device is driven byfirst barrel 100, connected to the gear train and to the regulating member, whosedrum 100A is meshed via toothing 100B with apinion 117 integral with the cannon-pinion (not shown), which carries a sixtywheel 118 making one complete rotation in 60 minutes. Sixtywheel 118 meshes via anintermediate wheel 119 with acontrol assembly 120 for alever assembly 121 for stopping/releasing the rotation ofcontrol ring 109.Lever assembly 121 is formed of a lever body of generally longitudinal shape.Lever assembly 121 is pivoted between main plate P and a bar (not shown). The body oflever assembly 121 includes at each end thereof alifting piece 121B cooperating respectively with two superposedinner toothings toothing 109A.Lever assembly 121 further includes, in an end portion close to one of liftingpieces 121B, anarbour 122 carrying an annular jewel 123 (FIG. 6A ).Annular jewel 123 cooperates with acam path 124A of awheel 124 driven byintermediate wheel 119 via apinion 125 coaxial towheel 124. In the illustrated example,wheel 124 has a shaped annular hollow 126 definingcam path 124A. The shape ofcam path 124A is configured to impart an oscillating motion to lever assembly 121 to alternately stop and release the rotating motion ofcontrol ring 109, via the contact between liftingpieces 121B andtoothings control ring 109. - Once the 59 minutes have passed and the 59
minute hands 10 have each passed into their display position viacontrol ring 109, they must be all repositioned in their rest position in which they are concealed from the user before starting a new time cycle. To achieve this, the movement of the invention has a mechanism 127 for repositioningminute hands 10 illustrated inFIGS. 7A , 7B. This repositioning mechanism 127 acts simultaneously on all ofcams 113 viaabutment ring 115. Repositioning mechanism 127 includes a control and returnlever 128 pivoted at A between two bars (not shown).Lever 128 has, at a first end, twoarms return spring 128C bent into a U-shape, this latter being in one piece with the body oflever 128. The end ofarm 128A is engaged in acorresponding notch 115C arranged at the inner periphery ofabutment ring 115, whereas the end ofarm 128B extends betweenabutment ring 115 and drivering 109. The latter carries apin 129 positioned to come into contact once per hour with the end ofarm 128B and thus to drivelever 128 in rotation in the direction of arrow F (FIG. 7A ) which in turn drivesabutment ring 115 via the end ofarm 128A. The rotation ofabutment ring 115 drives in rotation, viaflanks 115A, all ofbeaks 113B and simultaneously tips them into their rest position in which the hands associated therewith are concealed from the user. More specifically inFIG. 7A , repositioning mechanism 127 is shown after all of the hands have been returned to their concealed position.Pin 129 has just releasedarm 128B andlever 128 has been returned to its rest position by means ofspring 128C. InFIG. 7B , mechanism 127 is shown in astate 3 minutes after the hour.Pin 110A has tipped the first threecams - Referring to
FIGS. 8 , 8A and 8B, the driving of the time indicator members will now be described. Abarrel 101 drives apinion 130 on the arbour of which there is mounted a snail-shapedcam 131, on which the beak of afirst arm 132A of a drive lever 132 pivoting at B slides. This drive lever 132 pivots in a pair of ruby bearings respectively driven into alever bar 205 and a display bar 206 (FIG. 11 ). Drive lever 132 includes asecond arm 132B forming an angle (of around 90° in the illustrated example) withfirst arm 132A. Thissecond arm 132B is extended by a toothedcircular sector 132C centred on pivot pin B. The radial end ofsecond arm 132B carries astop member 133 provided with ajewel 133A cooperating with aspring 134 returning drive lever 132 in the direction of arrow C (FIG. 8 ) to maintain a permanent contact between the beak ofarm 132A andcam 131.Spring 134 is secured via one end to a bar of the movement. Drive lever 132 also includes a stop member 132D which extends substantially in the radial extension ofsecond arm 132B.Toothed sector 132C meshes with apinion 135 secured to anarbour 136 mounted to rotate freely in an assembly comprising, secured to each other, aroller 137, acam 138 and asecond drive pinion 139 for thehour control ring 140.Roller 137 also carries a pivotally mountedbeak 141 held in contact withcam 138 by aspring 142. This control device allowshour control ring 140 to move forward in jumps, from the continuous rotation ofcam 131.Hour control ring 140 includes on the external periphery thereof twotoothed sectors star wheels 143 having 6 teeth regularly distributed at the periphery ofhour control ring 140. Eachstar wheel 143 is secured to anarbour 143A carryinghour hands 8, with the exception ofarbour 143B, which is shorter thanarbours 143A and arranged at 12 o'clock and whose display function will be described below.Arbours 143A andarbour 143B are pivoted between pairs of ruby bearings driven respectively into plate P and anhour ring bar 210. -
FIG. 8B also shows thatdrive ring 140 is secured on one face thereof to anon-return ring 144 which is concentric thereto and whose function, via alocking jumper spring 145 secured to plate P, is to lock inrotation drive ring 140 in the direction of arrow S4 after each of the forward jumps ofdrive ring 140.Jumper spring 145 includes afirst locking arm 145A cooperating withnon-return ring 144 and asecond arm 145B whose function will be explained below with reference toFIG. 10 . Non-return 144 includes at the inner periphery thereof twelvetoothed sectors 144A wherein each tooth has the shape of a wolf-tooth and aflank 144B which cooperates in abutment with the beak ofjumper spring 145. - It goes without saying that, in variant embodiments, the number of teeth of each
toothed sector star wheels 143 may include a number of teeth different from six depending on the desired angle of rotation of the indicators secured to starwheels 143. Likewise, in another variant, it is possible to provide only onetoothed sector 140A oncontrol ring 140. In that case, however, a device for repositioning the display members secured to the star wheels of the type described above will have to be provided. - When
snail 131, driven bybarrel 101, makes its continuous rotation in the direction of arrow S1, arm 132 a passes oversnail profile 131, causing drive lever 132 to pivot about its pin B in the direction of arrow S2 against the return force ofspring 134, until the beak ofarm 132A attains the maximum diameter ofsnail 131, at whichmoment arm 132A drops along the radial flank ofsnail 131 to come into contact with the minimum diameter ofsnail 131. At the same time, drive lever 132 is returned in the direction of arrow C, drivingarbour 126 viapinion 135. When one of the twoflanks FIG. 8A ) enters into contact with theassembly comprising roller 137,cam 138 andpinion 139 viabeak 141, this assembly is then driven in rotation andpinion 139 driveshour control ring 140 in the direction of arrow S3, so that the twotoothed sectors successive star wheels 143. - The 12 o'clock display will be more specifically described now with reference to
FIG. 9 .Arbour 143B of the 12th hour carries adisc 146 on which there is hinged a connectingrod 147, the other end of which is connected to ahatch 148 sliding in translation in a fixedguide structure 149, preferably provided with a linear ball bearing.Guide structure 149 is mounted on atop hour bar 209 which is fixed to the hour ring bar 210 (FIG. 11 ).Hatch 148 has acircular aperture 148A.Disc 146 andhands 8 can occupy two fixed positions determined bydrive ring 140. In a first position, the aperture ofhatch 148 is juxtaposed with a correspondingaperture 3D ofdial 3 and reveals an indication M carried by the movement. In a second position, hatch 147 closesaperture 3D. Thishatch device 148 is actuated at midday and at midnight, for a period of one hour, and reveals an indication, for example a logo, through the aperture ofhatch 148, the aperture ofhatch 148 showing the 12 o'clock indication. - Hour and minute correction device 150 will be described with reference to
FIGS. 10 , 10A and 10B. In addition to its neutral wearing position, windingstem 102 can occupy a pulled-out position in which it allows correction of the hours and minutes. - The hours are corrected by rotating winding
stem 102 in the clockwise direction (arrow SH) in the pulled-out position of the stem. Once pulled-out, windingstem 102 actuateslever 151 to position slidingpinion 152 in mesh with wheel set 153 including awheel 153A and apinion 153B.Pinion 153B then rotates in the anti-clockwise direction viewed from the dial.Pinion 153B meshes with a geartrain including wheels FIG. 11 ).Wheel 156 carries on one face thereof awheel 157 including threetoothed sectors 157A each including three teeth in this example.Wheel 157 is temporarily in mesh with a firsttoothed sector 158 including, in this example, three teeth of anannular wheel 159 pivoted on acircular wall 160 ofplate P. Wheel 159 includes, at an angular distance from firsttoothed sector 158, a second toothed sector 161 in permanent mesh with atoothed sector 162 integral with areturn rack 163 pivoted between plate P and a corrector bar 212 (FIG. 11 ).Return rack 163 includes a lug carrying apin 164 extending perpendicularly to the plane ofreturn rack 163 and cooperating witharm 145B ofreturn spring 145.Annular wheel 159 further includes alug 159A extending radially from the periphery ofwheel 159.Toothed sectors Lug 159A ends in abeak 165 extending in a tangential direction towheel 159. Anactuating finger 166 is pivotally mounted at C in the end portion oflug 159A. Thisfinger 166 includes anend portion 166A held in contact with the inner periphery ofring 144 via aspring 167 in abutment against a bar of the plate (not shown).Finger 166 further includes anabutment pin 168 cooperating withbeak 165 oflug 159A to limit the angular travel of the finger in relation to lug 159A with reference toFIG. 10A . - When the stem rotates in the clockwise direction,
wheel 159 is thus, in a first phase, temporarily driven in rotation over an angular distance in the anticlockwise direction (viewed from the dial) bygear train end portion 166A offinger 166 is placed in contact with thenext plane 144B in the anticlockwise direction. At this stage,toothed sector 158 is unmeshed from the varioustoothed sectors 157A. In a second phase,return rack 163, moved by the return force ofspring 145B, drives wheel 159 in rotation in the clockwise direction (viewed from the dial) and allowsring 144 to be driven in rotation in the clockwise direction viafinger 166 which was brought into contact with flank 144 b in the first phase. The rotation offlank 144 causes the hour display to be driven in correction viatoothed sectors star wheels 143. - The minutes are corrected by rotating
stem 102 in the anticlockwise direction (arrow SAH) in the pulled-out position of the stem.Pinion 153B then rotates in the clockwise direction viewed from the dial and drives wheel 170 integral with apinion 171 in the anticlockwise direction (viewed from the dial). Theassembly comprising wheel 170 andpinion 171 is carried by a slidinggear structure 172, whose centre of rotation merges with the axis ofpinion 153B. During the anticlockwise rotation ofstem 102, slidinggear structure 172 is angularly moved to bringpinion 171 into mesh with awheel 173 integral with sixtywheel 118, which drives the minute display mechanism with reference toFIG. 10B . - Referring now to
FIG. 11 , plate P and the various bars of the movement MVT acting as support for the mechanisms described above are shown in an exploded perspective view. -
FIGS. 12 and 13 respectively show a front view of the timepiece movement of the timepiece of the invention, from the dial side, with the dial omitted, and from the back cover side. - In a variant embodiment of the invention, the number of
hands 10 may be different from 59 and gradually display any type of time or other information/animation, for example each hand could carry a letter or a portion of a message which appears over time or could display the time, the month, the day of the week and/or the date.
Claims (5)
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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EP13165393.3A EP2796941B1 (en) | 2013-04-25 | 2013-04-25 | Time piece |
EP13165393.3 | 2013-04-25 | ||
EP13165393 | 2013-04-25 |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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US20140321249A1 true US20140321249A1 (en) | 2014-10-30 |
US9116506B2 US9116506B2 (en) | 2015-08-25 |
Family
ID=48190239
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US14/259,418 Active US9116506B2 (en) | 2013-04-25 | 2014-04-23 | Timepiece |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
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US (1) | US9116506B2 (en) |
EP (1) | EP2796941B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP5870151B2 (en) |
CN (1) | CN104122783B (en) |
HK (1) | HK1203647A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP3540522B1 (en) * | 2018-03-13 | 2020-10-28 | Harry Winston SA | Retrograde display mechanism for a timepiece |
EP3832397B1 (en) * | 2019-12-05 | 2023-09-06 | Blancpain SA | Stepwise timepiece display mechanism |
CH720207A1 (en) * | 2022-11-07 | 2024-05-15 | Louis Vuitton Malletier Sa | Watch mechanism |
Citations (8)
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US401697A (en) * | 1888-06-20 | 1889-04-16 | Time-piece dial | |
US403525A (en) * | 1888-01-13 | 1889-05-21 | Time-piece dial | |
US5109989A (en) * | 1990-12-11 | 1992-05-05 | K-2 Industries, Inc. | Rotary display |
US20090154298A1 (en) * | 2005-10-25 | 2009-06-18 | Fromanteel Limited | Clock |
US20110013495A1 (en) * | 2008-04-01 | 2011-01-20 | Paul Hartzband | Timepiece with dial having a rotary index |
US20110069590A1 (en) * | 2007-05-25 | 2011-03-24 | Paul Hartzband | Timepiece with variable hour circle |
US20130017516A1 (en) * | 2011-07-11 | 2013-01-17 | Kelly Tyler | Active braille timepiece & related methods |
US20130149674A1 (en) * | 2011-12-08 | 2013-06-13 | Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation | Braille watch |
Family Cites Families (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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CH83150A (en) * | 1919-05-09 | 1919-11-17 | Israel Goldberg | Clock with 24-hour division |
FR890586A (en) * | 1942-08-05 | 1944-02-11 | Time dial for clockwork mechanism | |
CH684814B5 (en) * | 1993-01-25 | 1995-07-14 | Hugues Jolidon Antoine Andelfi | Timepiece provided with an hour circle to editable presentation. |
US7839727B2 (en) * | 2004-08-31 | 2010-11-23 | Bnb Concept Sa | Mechanism for displaying figures or signs produced on a timepiece dial |
WO2008014494A2 (en) | 2006-07-28 | 2008-01-31 | Drc Computer Corporation | Fpga co-processor for accelerated computation |
CH702795B1 (en) * | 2010-03-10 | 2016-04-29 | Jouvenot Frédéric | Display system a period of time T N sectors including information for a timepiece. |
CN202093327U (en) * | 2010-12-16 | 2011-12-28 | 王诚实 | Dial for 24 hour clock and watch |
CH704602A2 (en) * | 2011-03-14 | 2012-09-14 | Winston Harry Sa | display module of a timepiece. |
-
2013
- 2013-04-25 EP EP13165393.3A patent/EP2796941B1/en active Active
-
2014
- 2014-04-23 US US14/259,418 patent/US9116506B2/en active Active
- 2014-04-24 JP JP2014089907A patent/JP5870151B2/en active Active
- 2014-04-25 CN CN201410238150.6A patent/CN104122783B/en active Active
-
2015
- 2015-04-27 HK HK15104047.8A patent/HK1203647A1/en unknown
Patent Citations (8)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US403525A (en) * | 1888-01-13 | 1889-05-21 | Time-piece dial | |
US401697A (en) * | 1888-06-20 | 1889-04-16 | Time-piece dial | |
US5109989A (en) * | 1990-12-11 | 1992-05-05 | K-2 Industries, Inc. | Rotary display |
US20090154298A1 (en) * | 2005-10-25 | 2009-06-18 | Fromanteel Limited | Clock |
US20110069590A1 (en) * | 2007-05-25 | 2011-03-24 | Paul Hartzband | Timepiece with variable hour circle |
US20110013495A1 (en) * | 2008-04-01 | 2011-01-20 | Paul Hartzband | Timepiece with dial having a rotary index |
US20130017516A1 (en) * | 2011-07-11 | 2013-01-17 | Kelly Tyler | Active braille timepiece & related methods |
US20130149674A1 (en) * | 2011-12-08 | 2013-06-13 | Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation | Braille watch |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
CN104122783B (en) | 2017-04-12 |
CN104122783A (en) | 2014-10-29 |
US9116506B2 (en) | 2015-08-25 |
EP2796941B1 (en) | 2016-09-21 |
EP2796941A1 (en) | 2014-10-29 |
HK1203647A1 (en) | 2015-10-30 |
JP2014215299A (en) | 2014-11-17 |
JP5870151B2 (en) | 2016-02-24 |
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